Jesus Christ's Death Warrant
Jesus Christ, "he Lord" of whom Arculf was speaking in the article titled "Ancient City Lights" is Jesus, the Christ who died for us on the Cross. D r. C. C. Bombaugh found a rare record of the death of Christ and recorded it in his 1875 edition of Gleanings for the Curious from the Harvest-Fields of Literature. The "Death Warrant of Jesus of Nazareth" was engraved on a copper artifact and Bombaugh reported that “Of the many interesting relics and fragments brought to light by the preserving researches of antiquarians, none could be more interesting to the philanthropist. and believer than the following—to Christians the most imposing judicial document ever recorded in human annuals. It has been thus faithfully transcribed:
THE DEATH-WARRANT OF JESUS OF NAZARETH
Sentence rendered by Pontius Pilate,
Acting Governor of Lower Galilee,
Stating that Jesus of Nazareth shall suffer Death on the
Cross.
In the year seventeen of the Emperor Tiberius Caesar, and
on the 27th day of March, in the city of the holy
Jerusalem—Annas and Caiphas being priests, sacrificators of
the People of God—Pontius Pilate, Governor of Lower Galilee,
sitting in the presidential chair of the praetory, condemns
Jesus of Nazareth to die on the cross between two thieves, the
great and notorious evidence of the people saying:
I. Jesus is a seducer.
II. He is seditious.
III. He is the enemy of the Law.
IV. He calls himself falsely the son of God.
V. He calls himself falsely the King of Israel.
VI. He entered into the Temple followed by a multitude
bearing palm branches in their hands.
Orders the first centurion, Quilus Cornelius, to lead him to
the place of execution.
Forbids any whomsoever, either poor or rich, to oppose the
death of Jesus Christ.
The witnesses who signed the condemnation of Jesus are—
I. Daniel Rabani, a Pharisee
II. Joannus Robani
III. Raphael Robani
IV. Capet, a Citizen
Jesus shall go out of the city of Jerusalem by the Gate of
Struenus.
The foregoing is engraved on a copper plate, on the reverse of which is written, ‘A similar plate is sent to each tribe.’ It was found in an antique marble vase, while excavating the ancient city of Aquila, in the kingdom of Naples, in the year 1810, and was discovered by the Commissioners of Arts of the French Army. At the expedition of Naples, it was enclosed in a box of ebony and preserved in the sacristy of the Carthusians. The French translation was made by the Commissioners of Arts. The original is in the Hebrew language.”
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